Wis. Gov. Scott Walker abruptly cancelled his breakfast meeting with Superior Days delegates from the northland this week and sent one of his lackeys instead. This was the first time in the annual event's 26-year history that a sitting governor failed to meet with the business, community and civic leaders from the state's northwest corner. Well, I guess he is pretty busy these days. He probably had to take a phone call instead!!!
For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past week, Walker got punk'd on a prank phone call from Daily Beast editor Ian Murphy in which the online journalist pretended to be conservative billionaire David Koch who, along with his brother, poured millions into Walker's campaign last year.
On the call, Walker said he expected the anti-union movement to spread across the country and he had spoken with the governors of Ohio and Nevada. Murphy (pretending to be Koch) seemed to agree, telling Walker, "You're the first domino."
"Yep, this is our moment," Walker responded.
The impostor also told Walker he would treat him to a good time in "Cali" once he "crushed these bastards." The remarks illuminated Walker's private relationship with David Koch. He and his brother, Charles, own Koch Industries Inc., which is the largest privately-owned company in America and has significant operations in Wisconsin.
Murphy told The Associated Press he carried out the prank to show how candidly Walker would speak with Koch even though, according to Democrats, he refuses to return their calls.
Walker's budget bill also allows his administration to sell power plants that heat and cool state buildings to private companies without any bids. Critics have seized on that provision, saying they are convinced the Koch brothers' business interests would be able to buy power plants on the cheap, and then profit by running them and driving up the price of energy.
Koch Industries has denied any interest in buying the plants. Republicans tried to privatize Wisconsin's power plants in 2005, but the plan was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. (And to think I didn't like Doyle!)
Immediately after taking office, Walker also pushed for legislation that would limit damage awards in lawsuits against many businesses. Koch Industries lobbied for the bill, and Walker signed it into law last month. Walker is also seeking passage for another Koch Industries-backed bill to weaken state regulations by giving him the power to approve all rules proposed by agencies, a proposal that is moving quickly through the Legislature.
Scott Walker is thoroughly deserving of the ignominious appellation I used as the title of this post!
To listen to the entire audio recording of Walker's hopefully actionable conversation with the fake billionaire, click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.
